-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Even if you know nothing about IndyCar Racing or NASCAR , the odds are you know the name Danica Patrick .

The trailblazing racecar driver has been exposed to a global audience through Super Bowl commercials , modeling shoots and other mainstream partnerships . She 's helped IndyCar and NASCAR spread their audiences beyond core racing fans .

That brand awareness has n't been lost in the video game space . A few years ago Patrick worked with Activision to promote its racing game , `` Blur . '' And she is one of the featured drivers in both of Activision 's licensed NASCAR console games .

Now she 's partnered with Sega for its new arcade racing game , `` Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed . '' Gamers can race Patrick 's converting vehicle -- it flies , drives and floats -- against popular Sega characters like Sonic the Hedgehog , Tails and Dr. Robotnick . Gamers can even put her up against Disney 's Wreck-It Ralph for a virtual race .

Patrick , who was recently named Nationwide 's most popular driver by NASCAR fans , took some time to play the new Sega game and talk about her own gaming background in this exclusive interview for CNN .

How big of a gamer were growing up and what did you play ?

I played a lot of games growing up , as any kid naturally would do . I played `` Sonic . '' I played `` Super Mario Bros. '' I played any kind of racing game that existed , I played `` Track and Field . '' I shot some ducks with `` Duck Hunt . ''

Do you have a favorite Sonic the Hedgehog memory from back then that you can share with us ?

Can anyone really remember that far back ? I think more than anything what I remember is playing the games when I would be on the road racing go karts , and being in my van when I went to the track with my family and playing with my friends at the track . I remember the places more than I remember exact memories about the games .

What 's it like being featured in `` Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed ? ''

It 's really neat to be a player in it , especially being such a famous game , such an iconic game . Being able to be able to be a player along with Sonic the Hedgehog and all the other All-Stars is very flattering and it 's very cool . It comes full circle .

How does this compare to seeing yourself in NASCAR games ?

NASCAR seems like it 's kind of a shoe-in for me . So to be in something like a Sega game is to me more cool because it 's something that 's not common , and it 's not given that I would be in those games . So I actually like it better .

What tips or strategies would you give to anyone who is going to play `` Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed ? ''

My suggestion would be to first off , pick me to play me because I 'll be a really good one to choose . I 'll be fast and I have lots of skills and talents and I shoot balls of flames . It disables cars and allows you to be able to get by them . I think you need to find out for yourself how awesome I am in the game .

How popular are video games in NASCAR ?

Video games are pretty popular , for sure . I think given the fact that we 're in a racing environment , racing games tend to be something that 's obviously really common , so growing up I 've played them and some people continue to play them and I think it 's a good fit .

What games are popular on the field these days during the rain delays ?

I know a lot of drivers play iRacing , which is more of an online thing .

What impact do you think the hand-eye coordination required in video games has helped drivers become better in real racing ?

Playing games and being an adult race car driver , I think it 's more of a mental thing . If you think it helps you then it does , but I do n't know . I need to feel the G-forces . For me , it 's more about having fun outside of the car than it is about actually helping to be able to drive it . If that was the case , then everyone would just play games . And that 's not a prerequisite to driving a race car .

Do you think that racing simulators help NASCAR drivers at all ?

I do think that they can . I think that when you take it to the next level and these simulators that cost millions of dollars , I think they can be helpful . I 've tried them , but there 's nothing like the real thing . I know Formula One teams tend to do that quite a bit . It 's not prevalent here in the States with NASCAR or IndyCar , so I do n't . But if it 's in your head that it 's going to help you to play a simulator or play a racing game , then it will help .

Do you have a favorite piece of technology that you ca n't live without ?

Well , that 's the phone . I mean let 's face it . What the heck did we do before cell phones ?

Half of all gamers today are female . How have you seen video games evolve to become more than something just guys play ?

Well , they 're very visual . That 's one thing that 's for sure . They 're visually really amazing , so I think that maybe that might appeal to the female eye . We kind of tend to be about appearance a little bit . I think it also is about being able to have fun , and the games just get better and better over time . Us women are smart . We just waited till the games got better .

A lot of Sega 's classic Sonic games are now on the latest tablets . What are your thoughts on these new gaming devices out there ?

Technology always is just fast forwarding . There are more easy ways for people to be able to play the games that they want to play , when they want to play them . That 's just the day and age we 're living in .

Do you think we 'll see more of you in future games ?

I guess we 'll have to talk about that ? I do n't know . Maybe I could be a stable player . Is this where we 're going with it ? I 'd like to think so . That would be pretty cool .

How many different cars do you have for the track and how many cars do you have at home ?

With all the race teams I drive for and the different series I drive in , I have a lot of race cars at the track . There are always two per series that are at the track for me , but then there are lots of them back at the race shop being built , or ready to go to the next event , especially if it 's a different style track like a short track or a big superspeedway or road course . There are lots of different cars having to do with racing .

At home I do n't have that many . Honestly , I only need two . I have a nice fancy car , and I have a daily driver . I do n't need any more . To be honest , I give away a lot of my cars . But I did buy a couple of my race cars , so I do have a couple of those .

What type of communication goes on inside a real race car ?

If you 're listening on the radio to the race , you 're going to hear a lot of spot reaction about where cars are and things like that . I trash talk in my mind for sure , but I 've been warned not to say it out loud because then everyone can hear , including kids , so I try and be polite and nice . It 's not always going to happen .

You definitely get frustrated with drivers , you want to get by them and you 're trying to -- and you get mad and sometimes you want to crash them . All those things are real and that happens in the game , too . It 's just that you actually get to do it and it does n't cost any money to crash the car . That 's the wonderful world of fantasy .

@highlight

Danica Patrick has partnered with Sega for a racing game , `` Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed ''

@highlight

Gamers can race Patrick 's vehicle against Sega characters like Sonic the Hedgehog

@highlight

Patrick : `` I played a lot of games growing up . ... I played any kind of racing game that existed ''